Baby it's cold outside
by ExtraSteps
Summary: From a tumblr prompt from nadiahilker: "i know we hate each other but it's christmas eve and your flight was cancelled please come inside"


He got so close.

Theo had been planning this holiday for ages, saving up literal pennies some weeks when he did not get many shifts at the bar and had to rely on tips to buy food and pay rent. It frustrated him, how casual the job was, but there was little he was qualified to do when he never actually graduated from high school.

But slowly but surely the manager came to realise that Theo was a good worker, and that his pretty face drew customers in. The tip jar would overflow with a few sultry smiles that promised everything but gave nothing.

Probably the worst part was when Liam, Mason and Corey would come in during his shifts, setting themselves up at the bar as they chatted and slowly sipped their drinks. Liam always asked for a straw and then would play with it all night, nibbling it and pursing his lips while he sucked on his drink. It was very distracting. The amount of times his coworkers would smirk and nudge him while he stared was getting concerning.

"Maybe you should tell your boyfriend to stop coming in when you work," one of them hissed at him. "Even the manager is starting to notice."

"He's not my boyfriend," Theo muttered, looking away with a light blush.

"I call bullshit," she replied, shooting him a smirk.

Everyone thought that they hated each other with the way they constantly fought and snarked at each other, but it was just their natural way of being around each other. More often than not it ended in laughter, and none of their barbs were truly intended to hurt these days.

It had become one of his favourite things, fighting with Liam, watching how he would react, seeing the light of mischief in his eyes as he fired back, feeling the hard muscles through his shirt as he pushed the other boy. It never ceased to make Theo's heart flutter in his chest.

Liam was not his boyfriend, but Theo really, really wanted him to be. He had no idea if Liam was even bisexual. The whole time he had known him, Liam had only dated one person, Hayden.

And when Theo had heard that she was coming back to Beacon Hills for the holiday, his heart had sunk, and he'd pulled his crummy old laptop open and started looking for the cheapest, easiest way to not be there to witness their reunion.

Which brought him to the present, where he stood in front of the airport terminal, looking up at the flashing words that covered his flight number; 'cancelled.'

Theo swore as he turned back around and out into the frosty weather. The clouds were dark and snow swirled through the air, making him shiver as he made his way back to his truck and threw his bag into the backseat.

"Fuck," he swore, hitting his head against the steering wheel. "Fuck, fuck, fuck."

As soon as Liam heard that Theo had not left after all, he would definitely make him join the puppy pack for the stupid Christmas party he had been planning for a month. And being weak, Theo would give in.

Sighing, giving in to the inevitable, he shot Liam a text and then started up his truck. Within moments, Liam was calling him.

"It's Christmas Eve," Liam said by way of greeting.

"I'm aware," Theo grumbled, pulling out of the car park and heading back towards Beacon Hills.

"You're coming over," Liam said, amusement colouring his tone. Theo could hear his smile, and he rolled his eyes, a fond smile tugging at his own lips.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm on my way," he sighed.

He hung up the phone and focussed on driving through the growing storm. It was getting dark quickly, and the snow made the road slippery. Luckily, he and his truck made it to Liam's in one piece, and he hopped out of the car and ran up to the front door.

It opened almost immediately, Liam hopping up and down in excitement like a puppy.

"You're here," he yelled, grabbing Theo in a tight hug. "Now the whole pack is here!"

Theo wrapped his arms around Liam, savouring his scent as he picked him up and spun him around.

"The whole pack?" He questioned when he set Liam down.

"Well, you know, the puppy pack," Liam admitted. Theo had started calling them that after Scott and the others had all left, saying that they were like a litter of exuberant puppies, all wagging their tails as they ran around getting into trouble, and the name had stuck.

Liam grabbed Theo's hand and pulled him inside, and warmth suffused him, both from being out of the wind and from the feel of Liam's hand in his. He allowed himself to be lead into the lounge room, where Mason, Corey, and Nolan were sprawled. Theo's heart picked pup when he noticed a distinct lack of a certain female chimera.

Theo did not say anything as he was pulled in to sit next to Liam on the couch, a cup of eggnog shoved into his hands.

"Is there brandy in this?" Theo hissed at Liam, raising one eyebrow.

"Obviously," Liam said, giving him a smirk.

Theo made some snarky comment about Liam trying to get him drunk, and Liam laughed.

The puppy pack continued on with their conversation that Theo had interrupted, and Theo leaned back into the cushions, letting it drift around him as he watched them, enjoying the way Liam's eyes lit up and his hands waved as he talked enthusiastically with his friends.

Eventually, Nolan left when his mum picked him up, and then Mason and Corey started making eyes at each other and stood to leave as well. Theo got to his feet as they walked out the door.

"I should probably go too, it's getting late," he said reluctantly, rolling his shoulders.

"Back to your shitty apartment where you have no heating?" Liam asked, arms crossed as he stood in the doorway, blocking his exit.

Theo said nothing, just tilting his head to stare at Liam. Surely the other boy did not want him to stay.

"Why didn't you invite Hayden?" He asked eventually. Liam looked surprised.

"Why would I?" He asked.

"I don't know, I just assumed," Theo said, drifting off at the skeptical look on Liam's face.

"She left," Liam said, shrugging his shoulders. "And she isn't pack. No one would have wanted her here."

"Not even you?" Theo asked, slowly stepping closer, his heart racing.

"I'm not in love with her anymore, if that's what you mean," Liam said with a frown.

"Good," Theo said, pausing in front of Liam and grabbed his shirt. Liam looked up at him, surprised.

"Theo, what?"

But Theo interrupted him, leaning close to press his lips against Liam's, pouring all of the frustration and longing he had felt in the past few months into this one kiss. He pulled away, eyes dark as he licked his lips.

"Mistletoe," he smirked, and Liam looked up at the sprig of it hanging over the doorway and then back at Theo.

"I knew I let Mason put that up for a reason," Liam muttered as he pulled Theo back in for another kiss.


End file.
